New Zealand 2 for 44 trail Australia 467 (Head 114, Smith 85, Paine 79, Labuschagne 63, Wagner 4-83, Southee 3-103) by 423 runs

The ball may be a different colour, and the playing hours back to normal, but the MCG Test was taking on alarmingly similar proportions to what happened in Perth for New Zealand as Australia exerted their control. First, it came through Travis Head, with his second Test hundred and a stand of 150 with captain Tim Paine, before the extra pace of the home attack removed two wickets before the close.

In reply to 467 - and after more than five sessions in the field - it was the loss of Kane Williamson that will have hurt New Zealand the most. Having driven James Pattinson sweetly through the covers, he was lured into pulling a ball well wide of off stump which he skied behind square where Paine continued his fine day with a solid running catch. For Pattinson, it was his first Test wicket in Australia for nearly four years.

Pat Cummins, whose seven-over spell included barely a ball off target, had already done for Tom Blundell, who was opening in Tests for the first time, when he edged a drive having shown some initial promise. Tom Latham, battling through 57 balls for his 9, and Ross Taylor - saved by the DRS when he was given lbw to Pattinson on 1 - hung on until stumps.

In the lead-up to the Boxing Day Test, Head did not appear fully secure of his place with Australia contemplating five bowlers. Two days into the match and, even if a rejig to the side is discussed, Head's name will not be up for debate. He resumed on 25, did not find the going easy throughout the day - occasionally becoming more expansive when offered width - and only really freed himself up after passing three figures after tea, but he did not give it away, and that was the standout.

He had been kept in the 90s for 45 minutes before the break, including a maiden against Trent Boult which meant he sat on 98 at the interval, and in total needed 41 balls to navigate his way to three figures, which was brought up with his tenth boundary, driven behind point from his 222nd delivery. During the innings, he passed 1000 runs and, with potentially one knock left for 2019, went to 714 runs for the year - moving back above David Warner as Australia's third-highest scorer - a period that brought him a maiden Test hundred against Sri Lanka in Canberra and then saw him left out of the final Ashes Test, partly for sake of team balance, which appeared could happen again this week.

However, while Head's century was hugely significant both from a personal and team perspective, arguably the most important innings of the day came from Paine, whose positive intent ensured Australia moved the game forward after taking four sessions to secure their superiority.

Once again, Neil Wagner had produced the most compelling moment of the morning session when he bounced out Smith for the third time in three innings. Smith, who drove the first ball of the day for three, could only manage eight off 50 balls having resumed on 77 following his battle with the short ball on the opening day. It was a brute of a delivery that removed him, rising towards his throat which was gloved to gully where Henry Nicholls held a superb fingertip catch above his head.

For a brief period after removing Smith, New Zealand sensed a chance to get back into the match, but that quickly vanished as Paine played a superbly-judged proactive hand either side of lunch. The Australia captain pulled and drove with confidence, one of his best strokes - a pull that bisected deep square-leg and long leg off Tim Southee - taking him to his half-century off 72 balls. He went to tea on 77 with a chance to push for a maiden Test hundred, more than nine years after his debut, but was pinned lbw by the herculean Wagner after New Zealand successfully reviewed.

Paine's dismissal sparked a late collapse of 5 for 33 as Australia's lower order threw the bat - including Mitchell Starc picking out mid-off when Head was sat on 99 - which handed Wagner and Southee late reward for the toil. Few would have begrudged Wagner a five-wicket haul, but instead he took the catch to end the innings when Nathan Lyon top-edged a hook.

Wagner (38 overs) and Southee (33.1) followed their Perth workloads with more hard yards, while Trent Boult (31) and Colin de Grandhomme (30) were not far behind. In the end, Mitchell Santner bowled 20 overs, but only after Australia had passed 400 was he entrusted with more than a three-over spell and he struggled to exert control. The sight of Blundell, a wicketkeeper by trade, bowling three overs of offspin straight after lunch did not speak volumes for the spin-bowling resources. It is something New Zealand will need to assess for Sydney, where the pitch is expected to aid spin, although before then their aim is to try and ensure the series is at least alive.